In areas such as cohesion and agriculture, the Irish EU Council Presidency's proposal does not stipulate cuts, unlike the significantly expanded funds in the Commission's proposal for competitiveness, research, infrastructure, and foreign policy. 

The Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) will still encompass the following four categories:

1. Economic, social, and territorial cohesion, agriculture, rural and maritime prosperity, and security
2. Competitiveness, prosperity, and security
3. Global Europe
4. Administration

The Commission's proposed framework remains largely intact. Similarly, the Council continues to support the consolidation of previous programmes and the concept of National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPPs). The total volume is to be reduced by around €141 billion. The greatest cuts impact competitiveness and investment, which will be reduced by 12.8%. The European Competitiveness Fund, including the Innovation Fund, will decrease from €398 billion to €356 billion.

By contrast, traditional spending areas will see milder reductions: The major fund associated with the NRPPs will shrink only slightly from approximately €771 billion to €747 billion, a drop of about 3.2% for the period 2028 to 2034. 

In agriculture, there is virtually no cut in the CAP income support, remaining at €261 billion. The Negotiating Box proposes area-based income support ranging between €90 and €240 per hectare per Member State, along with rules for degression and potential caps on larger payments. 

Support for economic, territorial, and social cohesion will slightly increase from around €405 billion to €410 billion. While the MFF is becoming smaller overall, agriculture and cohesion are being shielded more than the EU's new priorities.

Conversely, for the European Union's central financing instrument for external action and international cooperation, 'Global Europe,' the amount will fall from €190 billion to €157 billion. This represents a reduction of €33 billion, or 17.4%, making it the category with the largest cuts. The narrowly defined 'Global Europe Instrument' would then decrease from nearly €177 billion to just under €149 billion. The DIHK advocates in its statement that private sector involvement should be mandatory from the outset in the design of the new EU external financing instrument. Additionally, the Global Gateway initiative should be established as an independent funding module within the Multiannual EU Financial Framework 2028–2034.

The Council is steering towards a significantly smaller MFF; however, the cuts are not evenly distributed. Disproportionately affected are competitiveness, research, infrastructure, flexibility, and foreign policy. This complicates the urgently needed enhancement of the EU's competitiveness.